


16. At Your Expensive Expense

by victoriousscarf



Series: 30 Au Challenge [3]
Category: DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-19 15:03:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9446702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victoriousscarf/pseuds/victoriousscarf
Summary: “That I’m happy you’re the heir and not me?” Dick asked.“You would have been,” Damian said. “Father would have rewritten the laws if he had never had me, you know he would have. Hell, I think he still wants to.” Damian paused. “And we both know you would be better at it.”“No,” Dick said, and he paused, because even though all those who were fashionably late had already arrived, the gilt doors at the far end of the room opened again.“He always seems to like an entrance,” Damian tsked and Dick abruptly averted his gaze as Jason strolled in, having completely ignored the black-tie aspect of the event. “At least that leather jacket probably costs as much as most people’s suits,” Damian added.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So someone prompted me for a three sentence meme. I wrote those [ three sentences ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/742701/chapters/21341426) and THEN IT REFUSED TO LEAVE ME ALONE.
> 
> So here we are.
> 
> A vague modern royality au where Bruce is king of Gotham in a very symbolic way, he still adopted a lot of kids, and they have issues with each other. Turn of the century being the turn from the twentieth to the twenty first. More on that later.

Dick ignored the fireworks going off behind him, smiling and shaking the hand of the diplomat in front of him. When he had finally finished his pleasantries and left, Dick glanced over his shoulder to check on Damian.

Damian, the actual heir, who was notorious for insulting visiting dignitaries and getting into fights and who, as a result, was Dick’s responsibility on the big nights. Nights like New Year’s Eve, when the king of Gotham put out all the stops.

After all, with a parliament and constitution he wasn’t good for much except show.

“You don’t have to keep staring at me, Grayson,” Damian muttered and Dick graced him with a smile, easy and pleasant and Damian narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t mind,” Dick said.

“I mind you watching me,” Damian groused. “I can take care of myself.”

“Yes, but it’s the visitors I’m really watching out for,” Dick said.

Damian made a tt sound at him, and at least most of the guests were already there, which meant simple mingling instead of constant greeting. “How do you stand it?”

“Stand what?” Dick asked, leaning against the wall and crossing his ankles, watching the best of Gotham and all surrounding cities mingle among clinking glasses and sparkling dresses.

“You know what they’re saying out there,” Damian said, tilting his head and it still kept surprising Dick when he turned around and Damian was almost all the way up to his shoulders. At the rate he was going, he would tower over Dick as much as Bruce did in only a few years. Dick could still remember the angry bundle he used to be able to lift to his shoulders and walk around the palace with. “That you’re the proper prince. It’s too bad you can’t actually inherit.”

“Everyone does seem to like saying that,” Dick agreed mildly.

“And you don’t seem to resent it at all,” Damian said. “It’s ridiculous. Borderline pathetic.”

“That I’m happy you’re the heir and not me?” Dick asked.

“You _would_ have been,” Damian said. “Father would have rewritten the laws if he had never had me, you know he would have. Hell, I think he still wants to.” Damian paused. “And we both know you would be better at it.”

“No,” Dick said, and he paused, because even though all those who were fashionably late had already arrived, the gilt doors at the far end of the room opened again.

“He always seems to like an entrance,” Damian tsked and Dick abruptly averted his gaze as Jason strolled in, having completely ignored the black-tie aspect of the event. “At least that leather jacket _probably_ costs as much as most people’s suits,” Damian added.

“Probably,” Dick agreed, casting his eyes over the floor instead of looking at Jason sweep into the party. Across the room in a similar position where he could look over the crowd as easily as Dick could, Tim caught his gaze and arched his brows. Dick shook his head slightly, watching the crowd part and change, before he finally looked to where Bruce stood opposite the doors, his shoulders just a little stiffer than they had been.

“This doesn’t change our conversation, Grayson,” Damian said and Dick snapped his attention back to him.

“We’ve had this conversation before,” Dick said. “I don’t mind you being the heir. I prefer it, and considering that the only reason this monarchy _exists_ is tradition, I in fact prefer it.”

“You’d be better at it,” Damian said. “I—I can admit that.”

“Damian,” Dick started.

“No,” Damian shook his head. “As a symbol, you would be better than me. I know it, they all know it,” and he gestured vaguely toward the floor. “They all wish you were.”

“Only because I’m not,” Dick said. “Everyone wants what they can’t have anyway.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Jason said and Dick tensed, not quite turning his head yet. “Know much about wanting what you can’t have, Dickie?”

“Would it matter to you if I did?” Dick asked, finally turning. “Jason. Good of you to make it.”

“Oh, there’s the icy tone you learned from Alfred,” Jason said, and his posture was easy and loose, like he didn’t have a care in the world. “I was wondering how long it would take for you to break it out.”

“Maybe if you didn’t show up so late,” Dick started.

“Ah, a lecture? Don’t you get those out on the brat now?”

Damian started to snarl at him and Dick shrugged, affecting being unaffected. “I always have a few more for you,” he said, meeting Jason’s eyes and it took all the willpower he had not to flinch back from Jason’s gaze.

“Ah, I’d feel special, if I thought it make me unique at all,” Jason said, a hard edge to his voice and Dick narrowed his eyes.

“Jason,” he started.

“Nice party,” Jason said, breaking the eye contact to turn his head. “B put out all the stops I see. As usual. Ice sculpture, food, good booze. Who did he hire as decorator this year? Kyle? People will start thinking he plays favorites. Or that they’re having an affair. Which do you think would be juicier gossip?”

“The affair, probably,” Dick said.

“Say, you change your last name yet?” Jason asked and Dick’s head whipped back around to stare at him. “It was in the newspapers all over the place. I guess it was a slow cycle so they started up again about you keeping your, you know, actual name.”

“If I haven’t changed my name to Wayne yet, you think they would realize I’m not,” Dick said through gritted teeth and Jason grinned, all too aware of the sore spot he hit.

“But you’re the favored one, Dickie! It’s an insult to his good nature,” Jason said and Damian finally turned to glare at Jason from where he had been pretending to ignore both of them. “You don’t have to stand here, brat.”

“If these were the old days, I could have your tongue for that.”

“Except these aren’t the old days, now are they?” Jason asked. “And you might as well be neutered for all the power you have.”

“Jason,” Dick snapped as Damian took an aggressive step toward him before rocking back on his heels. “Stop it.”

“Ah, you don’t like it when we fight,” Jason teased and Damian rocked forward again.

“I don’t like it when _we_ fight,” Dick said. “It’s even worse when you’re doing it with someone else and have to watch it.”

“Ah, Dickie, at this rate, I’d almost think you cared about me,” Jason said, a sardonic smile on his face and for a second Dick just stared at him.

“Fuck you too,” he settled for, pushing off from the wall and walking away, not caring if Damian and Jason got into a fist fight behind him.

Almost instantly he was engulfed by the crowd, the elite of Gotham fluttering around him and it felt all too easy to slip behind his smile, to compliment a girl’s dress and nod along to an investor’s spiel. Everyone wanted his ear and he was known for always offering it.

It was easier to approach him after all, than Tim’s cold calculating nature he could never turn off, or Steph’s mocking disbelief, or Damian’s fast anger.

He had almost lost himself in that role when he felt a hand grab his bicep. “What,” he started, turning and stopping when he found Jason on the other end of the hand. “And what do you want?”

“Can’t I want my brother’s ear?” Jason asked and Dick narrowed his eyes.

“For what?” he asked.

“Everyone else gets it,” Jason said and they were surrounded by others now, no longer alone in the space between potted plants at the outskirts of the party.

“Jason,” Dick said. “You’re the one who insists we have little to talk about.”

“Alright,” Jason seemed to agree. “I don’t really want to talk anyway.”

“Than what,” Dick started to ask, his chest feeling too tight and sometimes he wished he could just punch Jason and damn the consequences of it. He’d had plenty of chances, plenty of fights, and all too often he just wanted to do something to break the stalemate that had sprung up between them. To make Jason do anything except fling casual insults and carefully crafted disinterest at him.

“But I do want your attention,” Jason said and he dropped his hand to Dick’s, pulling him after him.

“For what?” Dick asked, and felt his stomach flip when Jason took him over the boundary for the dance floor and kept going. “Jason—”

“Come on, we both know you can dance,” Jason said and Dick swallowed hard, because _before_ , when Jason had been younger and sweeter with his bright and brittle smile, they had taken those lessons together, as benefited princes in Bruce’s household.

“That’s not the point,” Dick said.

“It’s just a dance,” Jason said, and his hand was warm in Dick’s as he turned, his other hand settling on his waist. “Don’t you dance anymore?”

“Honestly, no,” Dick said, a hard edge creeping into his voice. “And certainly not just so you can thumb your nose at Bruce during New Year’s.”

“But that’s the best time,” Jason said with a smirk and when Dick took a step back, not firmly enough to break Jason’s hold, Jason just pulled him back in.

Dick’s breath caught and he refused to meet Jason’s eyes. “I am not a pawn in the game between you.”

“Maybe you’re the queen,” Jason said and Dick frowned up at him.

“That doesn’t—”

“Make sense? It wouldn’t to you,” Jason said and the music picked up again, from where the last song had ended.

“You could explain it,” Dick said as Jason spun him around and almost unconsciously Dick fell into the steps they had done so many times before, on shorter legs and clumsier feet.

“It’s fairly simple,” Jason said and Dick refused to focus on the heat of his hands, instead casting his eyes anywhere except Jason’s face. “Bruce and me, we both want the same things. So we fight over them.”

“You don’t fight over me, you fight with me,” Dick said, still not meeting his eyes.

“Yeah, okay,” Jason said. “Besides, I already lost, didn’t I? He has you body and soul and that’s how it is. Doesn’t meant I can’t still taunt him about it.”

“And here I am, back to being your pawn,” Dick said.

“Bet he wishes he could do this with you,” Jason said and Dick’s eyes snapped back to his.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he hissed. “Not that tired jibe again.”

“Oh come on, it’s not like the rumors have ever _stopped_ , not since he took you in,” Jason said and Dick took a step back, but somehow Jason turned that into a spin and pulled him back. “It’s too easy to get you with that one.”

“You’re such a bastard,” Dick muttered and when Jason smiled at him, not quite a smirk, he ached. “People are staring,” he added, to try and distract himself from Jason holding him and _not_ smirking.

“People always stare,” Jason said. “You’re very easy to stare at.” And they were sweeping across the floor again, weaving in and out of the other dancers on the floor. Dick looked over Jason’s shoulder instead of at him, seeing the other dancers trying not to stare, and everyone gathered at the edges of the floor not even bothering with trying to pretend. Fans were fluttering and numerous heads were bowed together so that Dick could practically hear the whispers.

He briefly saw Steph, wearing something with ruffles at the sleeves, her arm linked with Tim whose eyes were narrowed.

“You really don’t believe in propriety at all, do you?” Dick asked, resignation in his voice and startled when Jason actually laughed.

“It’s funner when you don’t,” Jason said and Dick’s eyes widened as Jason suddenly dipped him, even though they were in the middle of a waltz. He could feel his heart jackrabbit as Jason pulled him back up, closer together than they had been the whole dance. “It’s New Year’s after all, and we should all get something we want,” and Dick couldn’t breathe, couldn’t look away from Jason’s face, and Jason still held his hand, the other so damningly warm on his waist.

“Maybe,” he cleared his throat and the music died down again. “I would feel better about that if I didn’t think it would come at my expense.”

He turned, breaking Jason’s grip, and walked from the dancefloor, shoulders high and refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.

  


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me then: This is going to be three chapters and three chapters only and posted all this week and--!
> 
> Me now: I am uncertain of my former plans as this chapter went very rarely where I expected and it has been more time since my last update than expected.

“Why, if it isn’t Grayson,” someone said and Dick turned his head, having almost made it to the balcony before being detained.

“Mr. Luthor,” he said, the smile leaping back to his face as if it was natural. “How kind of you to come tonight.”

“Who would miss it?” Lex asked, raising a glass.

“Who indeed,” Dick said, and Lex chuckled. “How goes your campaign?”

“Ah, you’re too kind,” Lex said. “Asking after that when I’m fairly certain your father is the one funneling half his fortune into the opposition.”

“You must be mistaken,” Dick said, even though he knew it was at least partially true. “Our involvement in politics is minor.”

“He’s still the king of Gotham,” Lex said. “We all know that comes with its own power. And for some reason he doesn’t want me to become the premier of this nation.”

“I’m certain the best person will win the election,” Dick said.

Lex considered him before shaking his head slightly. “You are the diplomat. I can’t read a thing off you.” Dick inclined his head slightly, awarding Lex the point.

“I hope you enjoy the rest of the night, Mr. Luthor,” he said, turning away.

“Say,” Lex said and Dick stopped. “Did they ever catch that man who kidnapped you last year? Who was it? That Slade Wilson type?”

“They caught him,” Dick said. “But have not succeeded in figuring out who hired him. A hired gun is after all only the weapon, not the will.”

“Think they ever will?” Lex asked with a lazy smile and they both knew exactly who it had been.

“Only time will tell,” Dick said. “Have a good night. You should try the champagne it’s rather good this year,” and he broke for the balcony outside. Making sure no one else was paying attention he scratched his wrists unhappily before pulling his sleeves back down.

Outside he could see the lights of Gotham all around them and the noise from the party was muted by the thick glass.

“So you run away from me but take the time to chat up Luthor, huh?” Jason asked and Dick let his head drop forward before he forced himself to square his shoulders and look up.

“I wasn’t—” he started and blinked when Jason handed him a glass of champagne, sparkling and pink tinted. “Thank you,” he said, hesitant, and turned back to look over Gotham.

“I always did love this view,” Jason said after they had passed a moment in silence.

Taking a sip from his glass, Dick hummed. “You could stop by any time.”

“Sure I could,” Jason said, the edge of anger that was always in his voice coming out.

Dick’s hand was too tight around the glass and he forced himself to relax his grip. “You _could_ but you haven’t. Hell, Jason, I haven’t seen you since,” and he stopped, honestly trying to consider it. “Last Christmas. I mean, the one before last week.”

“Yeah,” Jason said after a beat.

“That was your own damn choice, not one of ours,” Dick said. “You could have come, for birthdays, for Easter or Thanksgiving but you were the one who stayed away.” He looked at the glass in his hand and finally back up to Jason. “So why did you come tonight?”

Dick had his elbows braced on the bannister around the balcony and watched Jason in the light from the party try and come up with an answer.

They were lucky it was still empty, even though it was hardly the big flashy balcony at the front of the ball room, where by now Bruce was surely holding court. It was small, tucked to one side, and Dick suspected most people didn’t know it existed.

“You know, it’s funny,” Jason said suddenly, his gaze focused on Dick’s hands.

“What, the champagne?”  

“Hey,” Jason started and shook his head. “No, I mean, all of it is. Sure the drinks. But the king, the kingdom part of a bigger nation, them. Us.”

“Nothing’s changed about that in the past year.”

“Well maybe that’s why I stayed away,” Jason snapped and drew himself back. “Doesn’t it bother you?”

“What, all of it?”

“The way people look at you,” Jason said and he finally met Dick’s eyes. “They talk about you, they put you on display. We’re all supposed to be princes, right? But only one of us can be the heir. They still won’t stop looking at you, gossiping and cruel though.’

“Why does it sound like you want an empty symbolic position?” Dick asked, tipping his head. “Or are you offended because you think I deserve it?”

“You’re his favorite,” Jason said and Dick started reflexively to shake his head, like he always did. “If that brat hadn’t come along he would have crowned you himself and dared anyone to come after him.”

“Thank god for Damian then,” Dick said with a nervous chuckle, breaking Jason’s gaze.

“You didn’t want it at all then?”

“Why does everyone ask me to prove that to them?” Dick asked, shaking his head. “I love Bruce. I love this city, even with its traditions and its pain and its futile attempts to be anything except what it is.”

“You love a lot,” Jason said and Dick considered him, trying to pick apart the sneering distain from the jealousy in his tone.

“But to rule it? I have no ambitions. It is Damian’s by birth.” He shook his head. “I’d rather—I’d rather it be that way.” He took another sip. “You never said why you came tonight.”

He could hear the music from the party, and he titled his head back as the fireworks started up, flashing their little nook with bright blues and oranges and purples and reds.

“I wanted to see you,” Jason said after a beat.

Dick took too long to turn and stare at him. “I don’t for a second believe you.”

“Why not?”

“Because we haven’t not fought in,” Dick hesitated, counting backward mentally. “Seven years,” he said and Jason’s shoulders deflated. “It’s been seven years since you wanted to see me or talk to me. And it’s been _over_ a year since I last even saw you!”

“Well maybe I wanted to fix that,” Jason said.

“So you show up to New Year’s late as hell to make a dramatic entrance, drag me into a dance that will probably lead the top of the gossip and—and then follow me out here and bring me champagne?”

“You’ll have to admit the last one actually supports my point,” Jason said and Dick almost threw the rest of the glass in his face.

“Your timing is terrible,” Dick decided.

“Come on, Dick,” Jason said, turning and Dick glanced down at his hand, realizing how close Jason had gotten. “This is the beginning of a new century, isn’t it? The turn from the twentieth may it rest in fucking peace, into the twenty-first. Why wouldn’t now be the good time to set things right?”

Dick opened his mouth and for once nothing to say came to mind.

Jason inched that much closer and now that he noticed it, Dick couldn’t _not_. “I’ve missed you.”

“A whole year!” Dick protested again.

“And the six before that, I know. Dick I know,” and Jason’s hand went to Dick’s cheek. Dick blinked, caught between looking frantically at the door and meeting Jason’s eyes. “I just—I wanted to see you.”

“There’s others in our family you could make up to too,” Dick said, voice faint and that wasn’t like him at all.

“Yeah,” Jason said. “You saying there’s no chance of me making anything up to you?”

“Did you get hit on the head recently?” Dick asked and Jason closed his eyes, sighing heavily.

“ _Dick_.”

“I’m listening,” Dick allowed finally. The fireworks were still going and cheering went up. Dick’s eyes darted to the door, but no one had come out yet.

“It’s the countdown,” Jason said.

“The,” and Dick had to remind himself what he meant. “Oh. To midnight.”

“To a new century,” Jason said.

“Doesn’t wipe away what happened in the last one,” Dick said, harsh and angry because he was confused and Jason hadn’t dropped his hand.

“It’s still a new start,” Jason said and the cheering swelled. Dimly, for a second, Dick thought about who Bruce might be kissing. It was always someone different every year, to not play favorites. Ten years ago it have been Talia, and now—

But his train of thought was completely derailed when Jason’s mouth covered his.

There were fireworks going off, as the second hand slid from midnight into the new year and Jason had an arm wrapped around his waist and he tasted like the expensive champagne and warmth and Dick found himself tipping his head back and leaning against Jason.

Jason’s hand at his waist rumpled his suit jacket as it curled, pulling him closer and his other hand slid from Dick’s cheek to the back of his neck, while all Dick did was cling to his arms, feeling the leather shift under his grip.

But then Jason drew back, just when Dick felt like he was getting used to the beat of his heart and the warmth of the other.

“Happy New Year,” Jason said and there wasn’t any anger in his voice. “Happy new century.”

Dick just stared at him for a long second, uncertain which way he wanted to go when the glass door opened suddenly.

“There you are,” Tim said and stopped, Dick still holding on to Jason and Jason’s hand still in his hair. The three of them stared at each other for a panicked moment. “I—don’t---I don’t want to know. You, you’re wanted,” he said and Dick nodded, disentangling himself.

“Running when called,” Jason said, the start of a sneer in his voice.

“Don’t,” Dick said, shaking his head and he paused, turning back to Jason, because the kiss hadn’t an ounce of anger in it. “Stay,” he said softly. “Stay. If you meant anything you just said now isn’t the time to talk about it anyway.”

Jason opened his mouth and Tim’s eyes widened slightly in distress but finally Jason nodded.

“Yeah, okay,” he said, leaning against the bannister and crossing his ankles. “I can wait.”

Dick considered him a second before shaking himself and following Tim, not allowing himself to look back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again this was nothing like I expected period. Ugh? 
> 
> (Once again I bit off more story than I want to deal with)
> 
> Written an insane amount to the Raign's "A Queen's Head" and "Kiss me a Thousand Times"

“You do remember that it’s not your responsibility to see literally every guest to the door, right?” Jason asked from behind Dick and Dick blinked blearily at him over his shoulder.

“You’re still here.”

“You asked me to stay,” Jason said, and Dick rubbed a hand over his eyes quickly and squared his shoulders, before checking his watch. “Funny way to spend the first few hours of the new century.”

“It’s only three,” Dick said and glanced around the ballroom, finding Cass next to Bruce who was giving Lex Luthor a blank look. The rest of the room was still slowly emptying, and Damian had retreated probably an hour ago.

“How long do you usually stay?” Jason asked. “I was joking about seeing every guest to the door.”

“It’s just,” Dick started.

“Dick, for fuck’s sake,” Jason said and Dick wasn’t sure he had ever noticed Jason standing so close to him before. If he had always done it and Dick just hadn’t paid attention, or if this was new. “I know you’re the appearance machine, but you’re supposed to relax too.”

“I can take care of myself,” Dick said, and realized he was staring too long at Jason’s shoulder.

Jason rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t you remember what we did as kids, though? When we used to go and hide upstairs as soon as midnight was declared?”

“I,” Dick blinked, somehow not having expected Jason to ever be the one to bring up when they were kids. When for a few years they had actually gotten along regularly. “We used to steal as much off the buffet as we could on the way out without being noticed.”

“Don’t think we ever managed not to get noticed,” Jason chuckled. “Every year, Bruce would give us the lecture.”

“And Alfred would just raise his eyebrows at us,” Dick said and they both stopped, staring at each other. “You stayed,” Dick repeated, almost marveling.

“I said I wanted to talk to you, didn’t I?” Jason said, crossing his arms defensively.

“Right,” Dick felt his shoulders tense before he glanced around again and finally nodded. “Alright, we can leave now.”

And there was something strange in Jason’s face, almost hopeful as he followed Dick out of the grand ballroom. The rest of the guests were strongly encouraged not to leave it and head only for the door on their way out, but Dick veered up the stairs, heading for the private wing.

“Don’t you ever hate still living here?” Jason asked.

“I lived other places before,” Dick said. “My own apartment, things like that. I think I still technically own one. I just,” he shrugged. “It’s easier for me to be here.”

“Easier for you to be taken advantage of you mean,” Jason said, following Dick up the gold gilt stairs and Dick stopped halfway between floor, a hand on the railing as he turned to stare down at Jason. And how strange it was to be staring down at Jason instead of up those few inches between them.

“If you’re going to be like that,” he started and Jason held up his hands.

“Sorry,” he said. “I just. I don’t get it. You and Bruce. How you don’t see that he’s taking advantage of your kindness.”

“And now you’re going to tell me you’re offended on my behalf?” Dick asked and shook his head. “I love Bruce. I want to help him, and Damian, and the others, not because I owe, but because I want to.”

Jason took a step up the next stair and he was still a few inches below Dick, but they were almost touching, only a step apart. Dick leaned back slightly and Jason shook his head. “Still the idealist.”

“Maybe,” Dick said and continued up the stairs, too aware of Jason at his back.

 “Alright,” he said, stepping into the parlor of his suite. It took up half a floor, the other half having once been Jason’s and now was Damian’s. Dick didn’t ask if Jason resented that. “So it’s a new century and you want to make things right. Except that half the time you’ve just sniped at me again and I’m not really seeing how or why exactly you want to do this.”

Jason sighed, sprawling in one of the chairs strewn around the room. Dick almost did a double take, because that had been the chair Jason always chose as a kid too, when he would perch in Dick’s room and stare at him with huge eyes, like he couldn’t believe this other boy had the time of day for him.

How different he seemed now, in his leather jacket and with his growth spurts behind him.

“Okay, look, we both know I’m not going to be good at this, right?”

“Alright, I can give you that,” Dick said and Jason narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Damnit,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “Okay, I really just meant what I said. I miss you. And,” he scowled, as if unhappy with what he was about to say. “The rest of the family too, more or less.”

“Thought you didn’t think of us as family anymore,” Dick said, walking over to the window and looking out over Gotham, the lights still twinkling in the darkness. He loved the view, to realize there were always others out there.

“Fuck,” Jason muttered. “Okay, I know I said that. I said a lot of things. Regrettable and not so regrettable. I just,” he rose again, joining Dick at the window. “It’s just, you _are_ still family. I mean, not by blood, but this family is almost as bad with the you can’t choose it stuff.”

  “Once a prince of Gotham, you are rather stuck with it,” Dick said.

“You know, I really resented you,” Jason said and Dick’s eyes snapped over to him. “I mean, in that contradictory I admired the fuck out of you too way. You seemed to make it effortless. The orphan boy, who can smile and be graceful and act like a fucking prince should. And you never seemed like it was hard. Unlike me, who always looked like a mess and couldn’t stop fighting with people. And had a much more reported on puberty.”

The corner of Dick’s mouth twitched without his permission. “That’s because you kept going to dive bars and kissing boys on camera.”

“Just a few times,” Jason protested. “Mostly it was also getting into fights with Bruce.”

“I couldn’t forget those if I tried,” Dick said.

“Believe me, I wish I could,” Jason muttered. “I just—I should never have taken that out on you.”

“Apparently you had some contradictory feelings,” Dick said, looking over the city again.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason muttered. “I missed you. Not talking to you for a year just cemented that, okay? I don’t really deserve to be back in any of your lives but I don’t—I don’t want to be out of them anymore either.”

Dick looked over at Jason in surprise. “You think I wouldn’t have you back?”

“Said some shitty stuff, Dick,” Jason said. “As proven by tonight, I can’t fucking seem to help myself.”

“Yeah, but,” Dick said. “That doesn’t mean I can’t still love you,” he paused when Jason hid his face behind one hand.

“You are so impossible,” Jason said.

“Oh, I’m the impossible one,” Dick said, temper flaring.

“You really have no idea the things you say,” Jason said, looking back up at him and they were still standing in the window, Dick’s heart beating faster for some reason. “Okay, look, I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m really going to hate myself if I don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Dick asked.

Or he started to ask except Jason was pressing him against the wall, barely on the other side of the window, his hands warm on his hips as Jason kissed him. It wasn’t quite the same as when the fireworks were going off and there were cheers earlier.

If possible it felt even more world shattering for them being alone and in silence, every brush of Jason’s hand against the fabric of his suit too loud in his ears, the way he could feel and hear Jason’s breathing. He felt the breath catch in the back of his own throat, coming out almost like a moan and Jason rumbled something back.

One of his hands came up to curl around Dick’s cheek, fingers stroking down to his jaw and Dick pulled his hands up Jason’s back, enjoying the smooth leather under his palms and Jason swore something against his mouth, urging Dick to open his mouth.

Knowing they were still too close the window, Dick did just that, thunking his head back against the wall by accident when he tilted it back, asking for more.

More that Jason seemed inclined to give him, until Dick had to pull his mouth away to breathe. He met Jason’s eyes for a second until Jason buried his face against Dick’s cheek, nuzzling down to the side of his neck and Dick arched against him, hands scrambled at his shoulder blades. “Jason.”

“Let me just have,” Jason murmured. “For a minute, okay?”

“Think it’s already been a minute,” Dick said and he felt the puff of air as Jason chuckled. “This—we should—”

“I should go,” Jason said, and he scrapped the edge of his teeth down Dick’s neck, making him jump, before he started to move back.

But Dick yanked him closer again. “You should _leave_?” he demanded.

“Shouldn’t I?” Jason asked, hesitating before meeting his eyes.

“You don’t get to kiss and run,” Dick said, shaking his head.

“I should really go before I screw it up,” Jason said, his hands going back to Dick’s waist like they wanted to be there all the time.

Dick didn’t roll his eyes through sheer willpower. “How long?” he asked. “How long and if this is why—”

“I was an unimaginable dick to you for a few years there?” Jason asked. “Yeah, yeah, it sorta was.”

“You’re impossible,” Dick sighed.

“I just,” Jason said and they were still standing together, so he buried his face in Dick’s neck again. “You know how many people are in love with you, right? You make it so easy and I was so mad, that you made me feel. So I lashed out and mocked you and wanted you to, not hate me, just not want me around so I didn’t have to worry about it. And then it became more and more posturing and it was easier.”

“Impossible,” Dick repeated. “You’re so impossible.”

“Yeah, I’m a downright terror,” Jason agreed.

“We could have avoided so many fights,” Dick said, shaking his head and tilting his neck slightly.

“You seem remarkably okay with this,” Jason said after a beat.

Dick paused, staring at the far wall over Jason’s shoulder. “I did say it earlier, right? That I loved you?”

“Yeah, but that was like, in a brother way,” Jason said and he pulled Dick’s hips closer to his, and Dick twitched in surprise. “This isn’t.”

Dick breathed in through his nose and let it out carefully. “I’m open to trying it the other way.”

“Seriously?” Jason asked, pulling back to finally meet Dick’s eyes, his gaze distrustful.

“This isn’t a pass,” Dick said. “On all your bullshit or the posturing. But,” he shifted slightly, and every motion brushed them together. “But I can’t say I didn’t miss you either. Or that maybe—”

Jason kissed him again, dragging his mouth up to meet his.

“Please be serious about this,” Jason said.

“Pretty sure that was my line,” Dick said, and found himself smiling. “Prove it to me,” he continued. “Come back next week, and after that, and we can see—”

He let Jason kiss him again, cutting his words off. One of his hands went up Jason’s shoulder, the other curling around his back and he felt Jason chuckle.

“Hey, Dick?”

“What?” Dick asked and Jason drew back enough to slide one hand to Dick’s waist the other picking Dick’s hand off his own. “Oh, you must be kidding.”

“You have no idea what this did to me as a kid,” Jason said, and he pulled Dick gently with him, starting them in the basic step of the waltz, spinning Dick around a few times.

“I’m still furious about earlier,” Dick warned. “My current pliable demeanor notwithstanding, pulling me into a dance in front of _everyone_.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason said but he was smiling. “All my good intentions for tonight went out the window really fast, I admit it. I wanted to get a rise out of you and Bruce and it was like a perfect two for one.” He paused, and they were still slowly rotating around the room together. “But I also just really wanted to have an excuse to touch you.”

“How much of the last few years would have been made better by communication.”

“All of them,” Jason laughed.

There was no music but they seemed to keep the beat up together anyway. “Come back next week,” Dick said again. “I mean that.”

“Okay,” Jason said, and pushed him out gently out, turning once like that before pulling Dick back in.

“But next time, maybe don’t bottle things up with rage, huh?” Dick asked, feeling more peaceful than he had in a long time.

“I’ll work on that,” Jason said and stopped, leaving them standing with their hands clasped in the middle of the room. “Welcome to a new century, Dick.”

“May it be better than the last one,” Dick said and this time he leaned up before Jason could, capturing his mouth in a kiss.

And it already felt like a promise for something better to come.   


End file.
